Disclaimer: See chapter 1

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It was late when Reid walked in the front door after finishing up the case and the paperwork. It was a relief to at last find himself in Allie's open arms. "A long day," she said as she enveloped him in her tender warmth.

"Yeah," he nodded as he sat on the couch and patted the seat beside him. "We managed to get to the last victim before Norman did. She was okay physically except for a broken cheekbone and bruising from the rape." He noticed the shocked expression on Allie's face at his words. He held up his hands. "I don't mean to minimize that. I just meant that at least she was still alive and she can heal. JJ got a rape counselor for her right away and April, her friend from school, came to the hospital which was good since she doesn't have any family. I know what it's like to be the object of some madman's delusions and then when it's over you're alone in a hospital bed with no one of your own there with you."

Allie pushed the hair back that fell in front of his eyes, "You know you never have to worry about that ever again don't you. You've got lots of family now." She cradled his cheek with her hand and leaned up to kiss him. "Are you hungry?" she asked

"Starving," he replied. He could smell something delicious coming from the kitchen. "Is that what I think it is?"

"I put a pot roast in the slow cooker, rather late because I knew you'd be late but it's ready now," Allie told him. "So if you want to shower and change, it'll be up when you get out."

"Have you eaten?" he asked.

"Nope, I thought I'd wait for you. I like it when we eat together. So go," she said pulling him to his feet and swatting him playfully on the butt, "go get changed."

"Yes ma'am," he saluted and headed for their bedroom.

She set the oven to cook the Yorkshire pudding. Spencer loved Yorkshire pudding. She'd made the batter earlier so all she had to do was heat the grease and then cook the pudding. Allie lifted the lid on the slow cooker and the aroma wafted out into the room. She could hear the shower running as she plated the roast. She knew it was hard for her husband not to bring his work home with him and that he tried very hard to leave it at the office but sometimes it was difficult. With the puddings now cooking, she set to thinly slicing the roast that was well done; just the way Spencer liked it, and putting the potatoes and carrots in bowls. The shower had stopped and she expected Spencer to come into the kitchen at any moment but when he didn't make an appearance after a few minutes, Allie went down the hall in search of him.

Their bedroom was in darkness but she could see him by the nightlight in Joanna's room. He'd lowered the crib rails and was softly rubbing Joanna's back with just a couple of his long fingers while she slept. He bent his head and kissed her softly on the forehead. "Good night my little sleeping beauty, I love you," he whispered and he quietly raised the rails again and turned to leave the room. "Oh," he startled when he saw Allie standing there. "Sorry, I just wanted to say hi to my little girl."

"Honey, don't apologize for spending time with your daughter." She put her arm around his waist, "Let's eat."

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Spencer and Allie lay wrapped in each other's arms. When is the three months going to be up?" he groaned.

"Not for another two more months honey," the moonlight that came into their bedroom shone on her husband's face and Allie giggled at the grimace she saw there. "You'll survive."

"Oh, I know, it's just that I'm lying here so close to you and I want…"

"I know what you want bucko," Allie giggled again, "me too, but we have to wait. Would it help if I moved further away? I mean, it's a big bed."

"No," he pulled her close, "stay right where you are."

"Yes sir, supervisory special agent doctor, sir," she said very seriously.

"Oh, don't even remind me of work." He was silent for a few moments and then he said, "Everything's different now."

"What do you mean?" Allie raised her head from where it had been resting on his chest.

"Ever since Joanna was born, it seems like I see every case in relation to her; the little girls in Topeka and then now these college girls. We'll be sending Joanna off to college someday. How do I know there won't be some lunatic on her campus? I've always tried to put these sickos away to make the world safer for people but can I make it safe enough for my own daughter. Most parents have no idea what's lurking out there but I do. I see it every day. Some days I say to myself that I'm never letting her go out in that world but I know I have to and it scares me. I never knew it was possible to love this much."

Allie looked at her husband in the darkness. She understood his insecurities. His father hadn't been there to protect him from the harshness of the world and she knew he had sworn to himself that he would always protect Joanna. As he attempted to be everything his father wasn't, she hoped he wouldn't strive for something that was unreachable. Finally she said, "Honey, you're not your father."

"Aren't I?" he replied

"Why would you say that?" she asked.

"My dad left because he was more concerned about himself than me or my mother." He didn't say anything for a few moments and Allie waited for him to continue. "And so was I," he said in a strangled whisper.

"What do you mean?" Allie sat up now, sensing this was something Spencer needed to get off his chest.

"My mother needed help, more help than I could give her so I put her in Bennington," he began.

"But honey, you know that was the right th…" He put his fingertips over her mouth.

"Let me finish. My mom needed help long before I turned eighteen and before you say I wasn't old enough, that's no excuse. I could have called Mental Health or DCFS and they would have sent a worker who would have taken action. But I didn't, because I didn't want to go into foster care. So I let my mom deteriorate when she needed help because I was more worried about myself. Sounds just like my father doesn't it?"

"Okay, stop right there. You were a kid. I don't care what your IQ is or how many doctorates you had, you were still a child. You look back on it now, as an adult, and you think you should have done something but back then you were a kid just trying to survive. Nobody," she lifted his chin with her fingers so he looked in her eyes and repeated, "nobody would ever fault you on that. It doesn't make you selfish and uncaring. It doesn't make you like your father. It doesn't mean that you'll somehow let Joanna down. I know you won't…ever!"

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Allie was sleeping soundly wrapped in his arms, her head on his chest but he was only dozing when sounds from the monitor alerted him that Joanna was awake. Reid slid out from under his wife and went to the nursery. He lowered the rails, "Hi my little princess," he said to his daughter as he picked the crying baby up. Her cry told him she was hungry and he carried her to her mother. "Mommy," he said softly, "wake up, somebody's hungry."

Allie moaned softly, opened her eyes and began to sit up, reaching for the baby. Spencer sat on the bed beside his wife and watched while she nursed their daughter. When she was done, he reached for the baby. "No, honey, you sleep, you have to work in the morning. I'll put her down."

"Please, I'd really like to do it." Allie handed Joanna to her father and he headed back to the nursery. He changed her diaper and then sat in the rocking chair beside the crib, in no hurry to be parted from his little girl. "There, you're all full and clean. Just a happy little girl," he said soothingly. "Daddy's just going to sit with you for a while, okay. Daddy loves you very much. Daddy's always going to look after you and make sure you're safe. I promise." He looked down at the closed eyes of his sleeping daughter but he didn't move for a long time but instead continued to rock her. Finally he gently put her back in her crib and kissed her softly on the forehead. "Sleep well, my angel." He returned to Allie and his body was once again entwined with hers. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.